Gift-givers

Someone gave me a gift this last week. It was something they thought I would enjoy (and they were correct!). It was a kind gesture that showed both that the person was thinking of me and that they knew me well enough to “get it right.”

The Magi brought gifts to the child Messiah. Christ is a gift to us and through Him we receive manifold gifts (“every spiritual blessing”). Then there is this interesting teaching in Scripture about “spiritual gifts” (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; 1 Peter 4). These are gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit, not to keep, but to give away. That’s the amazing thing about God’s gifts; we give them away and they don’t lessen. In fact, they grow.

Part of what has fascinated me about these gifts which we have been given is that they are expressions of grace. The Holy Spirit gives the gifts as a grace, true. Also, however, when we use the gifts given to us, we are expressing God’s grace to others. Imagine that! You have a way to express God’s grace to others. Let me pause here for a moment…what does it mean that I have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a blessing to those around me? Do we even think in these terms ordinarily?

Our world so quickly collapses into the concerns and aspirations that “I” have, instead of expanding out to the glories and action of God. I would call this the pattern of selfishness that is so ingrained in us by sin, yet we are made new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17), and our new “natural” self (maybe we should say “supernatural self”) doesn’t have to be trapped in this very small and sad way of looking at the world. I am regularly drawn to the phrase in Colossians 1:16 that we where created “for him” – the him being the Son. So, if I am created for Christ and given gifts by the Holy Spirit to be a blessing for others…ought this not be a key purpose in my life?

This way of thinking (is this part of the renewed mind?) addresses two issues that I hear frequently: 1. I don’t really have anything to offer. Not true, you do. In Christ, you have been given something that we all need, some way to enhance ministry and express God’s grace. So, be encouraged! 2. I don’t really need to offer anything. Not true, you do. Christian community is not a spectator experience, you are on the field and the whole team benefits from your participation. So, be encouraged!

We have gifts that are designed by the Holy Spirit to be used/given for the good of others. As we give these gifts (by exercising them) we bless others and express God’s grace. I think that’s pretty cool!

Pursue Christ – He is enough,

            Pastor Jeff

To Shine

I’ve still been listening to Christmas music this week (and no, our tree and our decorations are not down yet). There is one song that I keep coming back to, “Always Carry You” by Matt Maher featuring Amy Grant (you can listen to it on Youtube).

At one point in the song Amy begins a spoken section:

What would it be like to never be afraid,

to be brave enough to live the way we were meant to live;

TO SHINE (spoken by a choir of children)

Maybe it is just having celebrated Epiphany (Three Kings Day) with the stunning image of the wise of the world coming to a baby called Jesus and bowing in worship and its miraculous star (angel?), but the idea of shining just sticks with me.

I love the night sky and, in the winter, when I take my nightly walks, I truly enjoy seeing the moon and the stars, particularly the constellation Orion. My mind is often drawn to Philippians 2:15. The New International Version reads: “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky…” and goes on to say this comes by clinging to the Word. This is a brilliant (pun intended) picture to me. Paul uses the idea of being “children of the light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5) and Jesus says we are to let our “light shine” (Matthew 5:16).

One reason I really like the image of a star shining, is because it feels somewhat passive, a star doesn’t “will” to shine, it is the nature of a star to shine. Jesus’ idea of letting our light shine includes that sense as well. He is, in effect, saying, “You will shine if you follow me, don’t do things that get in the way of it.” This can be pressed too far, certainly there is the involvement of my mind, heart and will. But it is also helpful for me to step back from the effort of making myself shine (as if I have the capacity to do this on my own) and rest in the Spirit’s shining through me as I simply walk by faith.

I am reminded of the account of Moses after he had been in the presence of God – he radiated the glory of God. Will we choose to be close to Christ, regularly and often, so that we too may simply reflect His wonderous, glorious self to others?

Pursue Christ – He is enough,

            Pastor Jeff